1. Field of the Invention
This invention pertains generally to work holders, and more particularly to a work-underlying support well suited for the preparation, storage and serving of melons and other fruits and foods.
2. Description of the Related Art
Juicy and sweet melons and other similar fruits are highly coveted. There is little more thoroughly enjoyable than the taste of a cool melon on a hot summer day. Furthermore, research has demonstrated that there are many health benefits associated with consuming these fruits. Consequently, melons are in a very small group of foods that are both delectable and healthy. For the purposes of the present disclosure, melons will be understood to include but not be limited to cantaloupe, musk melons, honeydew melons, watermelons, and the many other known varieties of similar fruit. These melons are commonly quite large compared to other fruits, and are typically spherical or ovoid in shape.
Unfortunately, and in spite of the coveted taste and health benefits, many consumers are still reluctant to eat melons regularly. The high moisture and sugar content leads to significant juice release during and subsequent to cutting, peeling and other common preparatory activities. This juice can quickly create a sticky mess that can be quite difficult to clean. While a highly absorbent cleaner such as a high-quality paper towel will draw in the liquid, this tends to dehydrate the remaining juice, resulting in a significantly stickier surface. The paper towel will then tend to stick to the sticky surface and fall apart. Sponges and dish clothes dilute the juice, but do not remove it well. This means that multiple passes of wiping followed by rinsing are required to clean the surface when using a cloth or sponge. Particularly large melons may leak sufficient juice to not only wet a counter or cutting board, but may also leak onto the floor. All of the same issues with cleaning apply to cleaning the floor, but with the further issue that many kitchens are carpeted. Cleaning the juice from a carpet is extremely difficult.
In addition to the potential mess and difficulty cleaning up, the large size of most melons makes them difficult to handle. Their roundness, often spherical or ovoid, means they tend to roll on the counter or cutting board, further compounding the difficulty of handling them during preparation. The risk of the melon rolling, combined with the usually tough rind or peel, makes cutting them enough more dangerous to discourage some persons who would otherwise like to consume them. Even a careful and skilled cook may on occasion have a melon shift during cutting. If the melon rolls, the leaking juice may be pushed across the cutting board or counter and on to the floor.
Common cutting boards provide no solution to these problems of leaking juice and food sliding or rolling during cutting, instead only providing a protective barrier against damage due to the actions of the cutlery. Nevertheless, a number of artisans through time have recognized the desirability of a cutting board that captures and holds food in place. Exemplary patents, the contents and teachings which are incorporated herein by reference, include: U.S. Pat. No. 93,844 by Sykes, entitled “Carving dish”; U.S. Pat. No. 152,331 by Cass, entitled “Skewers”; U.S. Pat. No. 190,688 by Mathewson, entitled “Culinary dishes”; U.S. Pat. No. 345,528 by Mitchell, entitled “Carving device”; U.S. Pat. No. 361,742 by Bennett, entitled “Appliance for holding articles in position for carving meat, etc.”; U.S. Pat. No. 566,479 by Sellman, entitled “Attachment for trays”; U.S. Pat. No. 943,767 by Bullard, entitled “Carving board”; U.S. Pat. No. 2,257,970 by Long, entitled “Tray for watermelons”; U.S. Pat. No. 2,464,114 by Bloecher, entitled “Meat holder to facilitate carving”; U.S. Pat. No. 2,599,681 by Wells, entitled “Carving board unit”; U.S. Pat. No. 2,620,003 by Perdue Jr, entitled “Base with meat carving facilities”; U.S. Pat. No. 2,751,951 by Strathaus, entitled “Roast board”; U.S. Pat. No. 2,942,639 by Margolis, entitled “Carving platter”; U.S. Pat. No. 3,030,994 by Wysowski, entitled “Meat carving board”; U.S. Pat. No. 3,995,844 by Hellman, entitled “Carving board”; U.S. Pat. No. 4,930,759 by Potter et al, entitled “Cutting board”; U.S. Pat. No. 5,580,037 by Gore, entitled “Food preparation and serving plate”; U.S. Pat. No. Des 162,101 by Wells, entitled “Carving board”; U.S. Pat. No. Des 167,750 by Karoff, entitled “Combined foldable roast board and food tray”; U.S. Pat. No. Des 168,098 by Klein, entitled “Meat carving board with hinged sections”; U.S. Pat. No. Des 168,304 by Klein, entitled “Meat carving board”; and U.S. Pat. No. Des 198,386 by Neuberg, entitled “Carving dish”.
The aforementioned patents use spikes, impaling pins or small skewers that are designed to penetrate the flesh of meat or other foods. While such spikes, impaling pins or skewers are generally quite effective at holding a food during carving or cutting, they present several undesired deficiencies. Among these are: the inherent and undesired damage to the food, which can render the food unattractive or unsuitable for serving or presentation; an unattractive and even somewhat frightening appearance of the board itself with the plurality of spikes rising therefrom; the risk of accidental injury to a person or accidental damage to another object due to contact with the impaling pins, which can occur both during use and in cleaning or even when placing the board in storage or upon removal therefrom; and the specialized purpose of the device necessitated by the pins that interfere with other uses.
In addition, securely anchoring the pins is very important, since significant force may be required with tougher foods or rinds to drive them onto such pins. This has been achieved in several different ways in the prior art incorporated herein above. In some of these patents, the pins are formed integrally with the underlying cutting board. The pins must necessarily be of a generally hard material such as carbon steel or the like to maintain strength and the requisite sharp point, but such a hard material is very detrimental to a knife edge. Alternatively, artisans have anchored the hard pins into a more suitable and softer material, or provided a framework to support the pins. Unfortunately, secure anchoring is difficult. This embedding or supporting framework may work for a limited period, but over time the forces applied against the pins will tend to deform the surrounding softer cutting board material, leading to loose and wobbly pins that become progressively more useless. In addition, and long before the pins are visibly loose, there will be microcracks between the pins and the board, leading to the undesirable entrapment of juices.
Seeking to improve upon the limitations of the prior art impaling pins, U.S. Pat. No. 5,527,022 by Gibson, entitled “Cutting board”, the contents and teachings which are incorporated herein by reference, illustrates a cutting surface covered by small conical protrusions that are designed to grip the food, without impaling. In addition, a juice channel is provided for collection and drainage. Unfortunately, these small conical protrusions, while presenting more friction than a plain and smooth cutting board, provide insufficient engagement with large melons to effectively prevent slipping, and do not prevent melons from rolling during cutting. Further, these protrusions are easily damaged during contact with cutlery, rendering them progressively less effective over time.
In U.S. Pat. No. 4,989,846 by Quinn, entitled “Covered dish carrier”, the contents and teachings which are incorporated herein by reference, a cutting board is provided with holes that only partially extend through the cutting board. Into these holes pins may be placed that can be used to capture a food for cutting, or alternatively to hold and retain a dish thereupon. When the pins are not desired, they may be removed and the cutting board used in the traditional manner. Since these pins are designed only to form a perimeter around the food or container, they do not penetrate the food. As a result, the food is still preserved for presentation, and not punctured or damaged in any way. Undesirably, these removable pins must be kept with the cutting board or they will be readily lost. Further, the partial holes present surfaces at the bottom of the hole that are difficult to completely clean and sanitize. Finally, the size of the pins needed to capture and hold a food or receptacle will vary depending upon the size of the food or receptacle, meaning a large assortment of pins may be necessary.
Seeking to improve the utility of an ordinary cutting board, several artisans have combined a cutting board together with a juice collecting tray or receptacle. These again provide no way to secure a melon or other food against slipping and rolling. Exemplary patents, the contents and teachings which are incorporated herein by reference, include: U.S. Pat. No. 5,366,208 by Benjamin, entitled “Cutting board receptacle tray”; U.S. Pat. No. Des 161,596 by Russ, entitled “Combined food receptacle and chopping board”; and U.S. Pat. No. Des 281,850 by Morin, entitled “Combined drawer and chopping board therefor”.
In U.S. Pat. No. 7,134,653 by Ladenheim, entitled “Portable reversible cutting board having removable cover and tool”, the contents and teachings which are incorporated herein by reference, a cover is provided that couples with a cutting board to allow the combination to be used not only for cutting, but also for serving. Unfortunately, the cutting board lacks any features to prevent the food from slipping or rolling during cutting, and has only a small, nominal trough to retain juices and hold them during transport or serving.
Two U.S. patents, U.S. Pat. No. 4,140,340 by Cloutier, entitled “Watermelon tray” and U.S. Pat. No. 6,206,356 by Beloff, entitled “Tray for holding food”, the contents and teachings which are incorporated herein by reference, illustrate melon supports that can securely hold melons of diverse size against slipping or rolling during cutting without impaling, and which simultaneously capture any juices released therefrom. These patents illustrate uniquely sloped ribs that run transverse to the longitudinal axis of the melon and cradle the melon, while allowing access between the ribs for transverse cutting. Under the ribs, there is a region which receives and retains liquids that may drain from the supported food. While these patents illustrate very effective melon holders, they are again very restricted in use, since the ribs will interfere with the cutting of many other foods, and, without proper care, will also interfere during the cutting of a melon. Given the limited kitchen storage space available in a typical kitchen, the significant size board required for cutting melons, and the need to properly guide the knife through the melon to avoid the ribs, these melon cutting boards are not practical for most consumers.
Other less relevant patents, the contents and teachings which are incorporated herein by reference, include: U.S. Pat. No. 1,962,799 by Whitmarsh, entitled “Cattle-skinning cradle”; U.S. Pat. No. 2,104,278 by Schultz entitled “Bread slicer guide”; U.S. Pat. No. 2,147,800 by Sadowski, entitled “Work holder”; U.S. Pat. No. 2,536,268 by Dillon, entitled “Adjustable slaughtering cradle”; U.S. Pat. No. 4,684,113 by Douglas et al, entitled “Universal holding fixture”; U.S. Pat. No. 5,598,759 by Sie et al, entitled “Food slicing rack devices”; and U.S. Pat. No. 5,907,989 by Sie et al, entitled “Food slicing rack devices”.
In addition to the foregoing patents, Webster's New Universal Unabridged Dictionary, Second Edition copyright 1983, is incorporated herein by reference in entirety for the definitions of words and terms used herein.